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Albanian migrant women Relation between migration and empowerment of women. The case-study of Albania A Bachelor Thesis Subject: Migration and the empowerment of women Title: Relation between migration and the empowerment of women. The case-study of Albania. Thesis supervisor: Dr. Bettina Bock Student: Liza Iessa Student ID: 870806532080 Date: 30 May 2014 City: Wageningen Institute: University of Wageningen Program: International Development Studies Abstract This is an explorative research of the determinants of migration for women who come from male dominant societies and migrate to more equal societies. The main theory used is the theory of the push and pull factor. The oppression of women in dominantly male societies is defined as a push factor. And opportunities for self-empowerment in more equal societies are defined as a pull factor. In Albania men are the ones who become the head of the household and only men are allowed to own any property. According to the Kanun any women that act in any way as a dishonourable person should be punished or even should pay with her blood. In male dominated societies, such as Albania, there a only few opportunities for women to climb the ladder in the labour market. It makes it very hard for women to provide for themselves and their families financially. Escape high levels of gender inequality is defined as an important reason for Albanian women to migrate. After the fall of the communist regime in the 90’s, the national borders opened up and migration from Albania has increased tremendously. Some women escape male dominant society by migrating to regions with relatively more equality in gender relations. These women seek more independence and empowerment. For Albanian women Greece and Italy are popular host countries. However, migration is not without any risks, there are women who become victims of human traffickers and find themselves in a greater problem than ever before. Iessa, Liza, 2014. Albanian Migrant Women: relation between migration and empowerment in the case of Albanian women. Wageningen, University of Wageningen. 2 Preface This Bachelor thesis is written as a final assignment for the degree of International development Studies (BIN), at the University of Wageningen. The topic for this Thesis is the relation between migration and the empowerment of women. As a case-study I have looked at Albania. My interest in this subject of migration and gender was raised during a lecture of RDS (social theories of rural transformation). One of the subjects dealt with was migration and double engagement. It was after reading an article of Erman (1997) on Turkey’s rural-urban migration, the squatter housings in the urban areas, and the role of male and female migrants in the new environment, that made my interest in this subject grow even more. Reading this article among others on this type of subjects made me motivated to dig deeper in the theories of migration and gender roles. Especially formation of new identities, copings with new cultures and the relation between migration processes and female empowerment has offered me a broader and richer perspective on present day debates about multicultural societies and the participation and integration of immigrant groups. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Bettina Bock of the University of Wageningen, for her feedback, guidance and support throughout the process of this thesis. 3 Summery The Albanian society is a dominantly male society where women experience high levels of social control by man of which male family members in particular. This low social position of women is in part related to the lack of job opportunities for women after the fall of the communism in the 90’s and in part to the still existing and practiced customary law of the Kanun. The Kanun revolves around the value of honour. Women have very little to say and have to accept a low status as opposed to men. In dominantly male societies such as Albania, men are more often abusive towards women whenever they feel threatened by them. When women are socially or economically stronger, they are more likely to be abused by men. On one side, women are expected to be financially and socially dependent of men in these societies. On the another side, this type of gender inequality and the high level of male dependency make it relatively easy for men to abuse women without this having direct negative consequences on their social-economic position. Men are not much stable then women, they suffer also but for other reasons. Men are depressed and coop with post war traumas. As a consequence they are addicted to drugs and alcohol, which makes the abuse of women even worse. However, during the communist regime the public freedom of women increased, but their position within the private spheres remained according to the old traditional ways. After the fall of the communism many regulations on human rights were introduced, nevertheless those regulations have very little impact on the social position of women in Albania. The gender inequalities that still exist push women away from their home country. Although not every woman is in the position to migrate, some women are able to empower themselves by migrating to the regions where women are less dependent on men. There they hope to get the opportunity to empower themselves by earning their own money. However, not every woman is lucky enough to migrate without any risks; women who decide to migrate alone are often mislead and trapped in the web of human traffickers or other illegal activities. By generating some kind of income women are able to get relatively more power and independence. With the help of some local NGO’s and other organisations some of these women are able to free themselves and turn their traffickers in. However, once in the web of criminal activities, these women can never escape the social stigma that hunts them and forces them to accept low skilled/paid jobs. In the meantime in Albania, the older generation of women are still very marginalized. Women can never achieve equality in communities where the Kanun law is practiced. In Kanun law, sex differences in capacities and behaviour are absolute. Biological determinism is very strongly present in Albania; the way we are born is immutable. Women have a subordinate role in the Albanian society, fortunately the younger generation is more open minded due to traveling and education. They are able to freely move between countries, because of the opening of the borders. Introduction of the internet and international television has also a huge impact on the perspectives of young Albanian people about gender relations. However, the gender roles inside their houses in the private spheres often remain questionable. 4 Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Preface ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 Summery ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Chapter 1.Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 7 1.1) Problem definition ....................................................................................................................... 7 1.2) Case-study ................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3) History of migration from Albania .............................................................................................. 7 1.4) Research objective ....................................................................................................................... 9 1.5) Definition of important concepts ................................................................................................. 9 1.6) Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 10 1.7) Relevance................................................................................................................................... 10 1.8) Structure .................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2.Theoretical Framework ......................................................................................................... 12 Theories of migration ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.1) Migration theories ..................................................................................................................... 12 2.2) Transnational movement and the reasons (theories) ................................................................ 14 2.3) Conceptual framework (push-pull factors): .............................................................................. 15 Chapter 3.Customary law and the position of women in Albania ......................................................... 17 3.1) History of Albania ..................................................................................................................... 17 3.2) Rules of Kanun .........................................................................................................................
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